


Taking the Mark

by Gelsey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Snapshots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-15 18:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/852598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelsey/pseuds/Gelsey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The throb of his arm took up all of Draco’s thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking the Mark

The throb of his arm took up all of Draco’s thoughts. _Tha-thud. Pain-hurt. Tha-thud._

So he’d done it. Finally done it. Taken the Dark Mark just like he had always wanted, just as his father had always wanted. He should be happier, pleased with himself for succeeding enough to be granted this honor.

_Tha-thud. Pain-hurt. Re-gret._

That was it. Regret. That’s what filled his veins instead of blood right now.

Draco sat in the far reaches of the dungeon, in his favorite spot. It was dark, cool and shadowy, but the fierce afternoon light shone down for a high, small window. He slouched in front of what he thought was once an altar, back in the days when wizards still worshipped. His head hung forward and his eyes closed; the light didn’t quite reach him, which only felt justified. He didn’t deserve it.

_Tha-thud. Re-gret. What-have I-done._

He refused to rub his arm through the bandage his mother had wrapped around it. Draco had a feeling it would make it worse, not better.

The thought of his mother boosted his spirits. She had been there, though pride hadn’t colored her face like it had his father’s. However, she was the reason he was doing this—to protect her. 

And, he had to admit, to make his father proud. Lucius’ positive regard was something he constantly had to strive for, and very rarely achieved.

Maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing as he thought it might be to start with.

_Tha-thud. May-be._

And Potter—the look on his face when he found out someday. Perhaps on a someday when Draco might drag him before the Dark Lord. What a day that would be—he would be prized above all the others, even his father.

Yes, this didn’t seem nearly as bad.

And he could get one over that Mudblood Granger, finally. He’d wanted to cow her, subdue her, prove his superiority for so long.

_Tha-thud. Yes-yes. Good-things._

His arm hurt less and less now. The bandage seemed superfluous all of the sudden. Draco spared no thought to the poisons spreading through him, all ingredients of the Dark Mark. He made no connection to the dark thoughts that now cheered him.

Joining the Dark Lord might be the best thing he’d ever done. How could he have ever thought otherwise?

Draco pushed himself up, away from the questing beam of sunshine and further into the shadows. As he walked, he unwound the bandage and let it fall to the ground, proudly marveling at the skull and snake upon it.

_Tha-thud. Tri-umph. Pure-blood._

He didn’t see his mother’s sad look and worried eyes as he passed her in the hall. He only saw the glory he could achieve with his new position.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Death Eater Drabs long ago.


End file.
